By MulticdbOnline | June 13, 2025
In a startling twist to the ongoing ghost names scandal at the National Service Scheme (NSS), Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine has disclosed that Gifty Oware-Mensah used National Service personnel allowances as collateral to secure a GH¢30 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
The revelation deepens the gravity of the financial misconduct allegations surrounding the former NSS Deputy Executive Director, who is already being investigated for the creation and manipulation of 9,934 phantom service personnel to siphon public funds amounting to GH¢30,698,218.
According to the Attorney General, the loan acquired from ADB was used to finance the operations of a private entity named Blocks of Life Consult, which was established without the requisite approvals or oversight from the Ministry of Finance or the Board of the National Service Scheme.
“This was not just payroll fraud. It was an orchestrated financial scheme that leveraged national resources for personal gain,” Dr. Ayine stated in an official briefing.
Legal analysts say the use of state-sanctioned personnel allowances as collateral is highly irregular and potentially criminal, as it constitutes the unauthorized pledging of public funds for private benefit.
As pressure mounts, civil society organizations and public sector unions are calling for:
• An immediate suspension of all contracts and accounts associated with Blocks of Life Consult,
• A parliamentary inquiry into NSS operations over the past five years, and
• Criminal proceedings against all collaborators, both internal and external.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office is expected to join the investigation in the coming days, with sources suggesting more top officials may be implicated.
This scandal continues to raise serious questions about payroll accountability, internal auditing systems, and political oversight within Ghana’s state institutions.
Reporting by MulticdbOnline Investigations Desk